depend
[dih-pend]
- to rely; place trust (usually followed by on or upon): You may depend on the accuracy of the report.
- to rely for support, maintenance, help, etc. (usually followed by on or upon): Children depend on their parents.
- to be conditioned or contingent (usually followed by on or upon): His success here depends upon effort and ability.
- to be undetermined or pending: I may go to Europe or I may not, it all depends.
- Grammar. (of a word or other linguistic form) to be subordinate to another linguistic form in the same construction; to form a part of a construction other than the head.
- to hang down; be suspended (usually followed by from): The chandelier depends from the ceiling of the ballroom.
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Origin of depend
1375–1425; late Middle English dependen < Old French dependre < Latin dēpendere to hang down, equivalent to dē- de- + pendere to hang
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for depends
Contemporary Examples
Russia depends on oil exports for almost 70 percent of its foreign-currency earnings and almost 50 percent of its annual budget.
So it depends on what side of the track you want to come from.
But look, it depends on how old I am [laughs], and whether I have the energy anymore.
And it depends on grand juries who act as a conveyor belt, quickly funneling tens of thousands of young Black men into prison.
It depends on the archaeologist and the circumstances, but I think they would all take their sweet time if they could.
Historical Examples
"That depends on public opinion, I allow," said Mr. Percival.
Tales And Novels, Volume 3 (of 10)Maria Edgeworth
It's there; but it depends on yourself, like everything else.
The Incomplete AmoristE. Nesbit
I mean it depends on his permission; his imprimatur; his nihil obstat.
Alarms and DiscursionsG. K. Chesterton
It is not given to every one to be able to do it, but it depends on the will of God, who sees and judges.
My Double LifeSarah Bernhardt
"That depends on who she is, Monsieur," replied the Colonel, curtly.
The Room in the Dragon VolantJ. Sheridan LeFanu
depend
- (foll by on or upon) to put trust (in); rely (on); be sure (of)
- (usually foll by on or upon; often with it as subject) to be influenced or determined (by); be resultant (from)whether you come or not depends on what father says; it all depends on you
- (foll by on or upon) to rely (on) for income, support, etc
- (foll by from) rare to hang down; be suspended
- to be undecided or pending
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Word Origin
C15: from Old French dependre, from Latin dēpendēre to hang from, from de- + pendēre to hang
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for depends
depend
v.
early 15c., "to be attached to as a condition or cause," a figurative use, from Middle French dependre, literally "to hang from, hang down," from Latin dependere "to hang from, hang down; be dependent on, be derived," from de- "from, down" (see de-) + pendere "to hang, be suspended" (see pendant). Related: Depended; depending.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper